


Honey sweeter than any

by Umi_no_arawashi



Series: Honeyverse [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: A/B/O, Alpha!Ignis, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Biting, Canon Divergence, Claiming, Fleurentia, Ignis isn't blind, Knotting, Luna is still dead, M/M, Omega Verse, Omega!Ravus, Post-Altissia, Ravnis, Ravus is on Noctis' side, alternative version of the alternative version, general Ravus, heat - Freeform, mention of omega!noctis, mention of possibilty of sexual assault but everything turns out fine, mention of prompto/noct/gladio
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-06
Updated: 2018-04-06
Packaged: 2019-04-19 04:52:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14229666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Umi_no_arawashi/pseuds/Umi_no_arawashi
Summary: alpha/beta/omegaIgnis has never liked all the posturing that comes with being an alpha. The swagger, the aggressivity. The arrogance. Traits that Ravus, on the other hand, has never seemed to try to hide.Except, as it turns out, Ravus isn’t an alpha at all.Or: Ignis has to claim Ravus for perfectly logical reasons. It turns out about as well as you’d think.Author note: I just wanted some good old a/b/o Fleurentia porn and I accidentally fifteen thousand words all over myself.Set in an alternative version of the alternative end of episode Ignis, where Noctis somehow didn’t go into the crystal and the Lucis forces have regrouped and are engaged in a full-out war against the Empire. Ignis isn’t blind and Ravus has rallied to Noctis’ side.





	Honey sweeter than any

**Author's Note:**

> Brief note about a/b/o social dynamics in this fic: omegas are rarer than alphas and betas, but not unusual. They’ve gained equal rights in Lucis and Tenebrae, but social prejudices persist and they still tend to gravitate more towards occupations traditionally associated with omegas, like homemaking, childcare, or healthcare. Hence the massive problem it caused everyone when Noctis presented as an omega. For the purpose of the fic, Gladio, like Ignis, is an alpha and Prompto is a beta, but it doesn’t matter much in the story.
> 
> Ravus/Ignis, hints of Gladio/Prompto/Noctis (Glomptis?) in the background if you squint.
> 
>  _There is honey in this land sweeter than any I know of, and I have cut cane in places where the dirt itself tasted like sugar._  
>  Toni Morrison
> 
> (edited 13/04/18, typos, formating)

The negotiations had gone well so far. They’d been received by a group of grey-haired diplomats, dressed in colourful silks that contrasted with Ignis’ blacks and Ravus’ white uniform. After a long exchange of pleasantries, they had finally reached an agreement concerning the safe passage of Ravus’ Tenebraen army through one particular mountain pass, controlled by a great magical gate that forbade entry to foreigners.

But they had managed to impress on the Xuans the urgency of this need. The Lucian forces needed supplies and reinforcements rapidly, or they would lose the battle to the Empire. And the Xuans had no love for the empire. It was a small, secluded country, mountain folks that had managed to keep themselves away from the political strife tearing Eos apart, too poor in resources and too remote to represent much of a strategic asset for either side. Still, recently, they had had many border skirmishes with the Empire, which explained why they were ready to collaborate with the Empire’s enemies.

Now, all that was left was to ratify the whole thing with some sort of religious ceremony Ignis wasn’t familiar with, and they would be free to go. They reached a series of stone steps flanked by two large stone statues of the Hydrean, leading to a large open wooden hall, much larger than the small pavilion where the negotiations had taken place. 

In the center of the hall, on a raised throne-like seat under a dais, sat a woman the word “crone” seemed to have been invented for, dressed in a black cowl and a robe. She sat up as they got closer to her. 

Suddenly, she pointed a crooked finger at Ravus.

“That thing… there’s something wrong with it”, she croaked.

“This is the envoy from Tenebrae, my Lady.”

She shook her head. “This... is an abomination!”

“Lady Lhaden Semyang, what on earth do you mean?”

“One who does not know his place. A precious omega walking in the skin of an alpha. Unclaimed and unbounded, furthermore.”

Ignis turned to Ravus. “What on earth is that woman talking about?,” he asked. 

“She is clearly insane. Get this madwoman out of the way,” said Ravus, with an imperious gesture.

“Begging your pardon, your highness, but this is Lady Lhaden Semyang, our High Seer.”

“Some sort of religious leader. Don’t antagonise her, Ravus, please,” said Ignis in a low voice.

“Hold the creature.”

Two of the guards moved to Ravus’ side, holding his arms.

“Unhand me this instant!” he demanded angrily.

“Ravus, please,” hissed Ignis “We need their cooperation.”

She stood up, and moved closer to Ravus, surveying him from behind half-lidded eyes. Then, swift as lightning, her hand darted, tearing something away from his neck, dropping in immediately to the floor as though it burned.

It was some sort of pendant, a tear-shaped crystal, glowing the deep blue of sylleblossoms, attached to a chain. Ignis had never seen it before. Ravus must have worn it underneath his clothes.

“Give that back,” snarled Ravus. 

With a grunt, she crushed it under her heel. It shattered easily, the blue light inside it dissipating like smoke. Ravus gave a cry of dismay.

“Foul thing.” she spat on the floor. She turned to Ignis. “Why would you allow your omega to wear such a thing? Have you no shame?”

“My… what?” Ignis felt speechless, a rare occurrence. “You must be mistaken. This is Prince Ravus Nox Fleuret of Tenebrae, general of the king’s army. He’s an alpha.”

“Ha,” barked the crone. “I can’t be fooled that easily. I know all about you foreigners and your impure ways. But I will not tolerate an omega being treated thus on my land.”

Ignis turned to Ravus, who had a stricken expression on his face. “What is she talking about?”

Ravus stood silent for a few seconds, seemingly thinking. Then he seemed to reach a decision.

“The woman is right,” he said curtly. “I am an omega.”

***

All hell broke loose after that. Cries of shock and dismay spread through the assembled officials. The Seer left soon after, everyone bowing as she exited.

Ignis barely paid attention. He could scarcely believe what he’d just heard.

Ravus, of all people, an omega? It was unthinkable. Everything about Ravus screamed alpha, from his size, his authority, his physique, to his scent. But no one seemed to question the Seer’s pronouncement. And Ravus himself had acknowledged it.

Ravus turned to Ignis. “I need to talk to you. In private.”

“An unsupervised unclaimed omega and an alpha male? Impossible!” gasped one of the officials.

“We were together unsupervised not one hour ago. This is ridiculous,” hissed Ravus.

“It does not concern me.” The official shook his head. “I only know what I see now, and I won’t let this happen”

“Prince Ravus is a Tenebraen.” Ignis tried to strike a conciliatory tone. “Perhaps he has chosen to hide his real nature somehow, but that is not illegal in our countries. Nor do we restrict omega rights in any way. They are free to go as they please.”

“Yes. We know all about your omegas and their… promiscuous ways. But we are not in Tenebrae, or Lucis. This is our law. And on our land, you will obey it. Or you will leave.”

Ravus scoffed disdainfully. Ignis had never seen anyone look less like an omega in his life. There was no hint of the softness one associated with them. Even Noctis, considered by many a very unusual omega, still possessed gentle, almost pretty facial features, a gracile frame, a certain suppleness that emphasised his gender. In comparison, Ravus was angular, tall, and muscular. And he didn’t look soft by any measure of the world. He looked deadly. Not to mention extremely irritated. 

“Our treaty is more important than this. We must secure a passage as rapidly as we can, or the king will lose this battle,” Ravus said behind clenched teeth.

“Omegas must be protected. It’s for your own good,” said one of the diplomats, an older woman. “You can’t be around alphas, dear. You’re unclaimed.”

Ravus rolled his eyes. “And if I were claimed?”

“Then it would be up to your alpha, of course.”

“Fine.” Ravus pointed at Ignis. “ _That_ is my alpha. Let him claim me, and we can be done with this.”

Ignis felt his jaw drop. “What?” he asked Ravus in a low voice, as the Xuans conferred.

“You are unmated, Scientia, are you not? I do not have much choice. My staff and officers are either beta or part of a mated and bonded pair. For obvious reasons.”

“Do they know?”

“That I am an omega? No. Only a select few know. But I think that particular secret will be out soon enough.”

That was true. Ravus’ scent was already changing. His alpha scent, which had been mild to begin with, a clean scent that had always reminded Ignis of fresh linen and sunlight, was fading, and something else, something much sweeter and unmistakably omega was rising in its place.

“I would have preferred not to ask you this.” Ravus said under his breath. “But I do not think we have a choice. Can we just get on with it and get this charade over with?”

“I… I don’t know whether that would be a good idea.”

“Obviously this would only a purely formal arrangement. But this is clearly going to take hours to deal with unless we comply with their stupid primitive customs, and we simply do not have the time.”

It was the most logical solution to the problem. But at the same time, this was something that Ignis had always sworn he would never do.

“I don’t do that. I deeply dislike the idea of “claiming” someone and I refuse to do it.”

“Atypical, for an alpha.” Ravus raised an eyebrow with a scornful expression.

You’re one to talk, thought Ignis.

“Anyway, personal references hardly matter at this point,” continued Ravus curtly. “I would much prefer not to have to go through this either. But I do not see another solution. Do you?”

“Unfortunately, I agree with you. Arguing the point would take too long. Resorting to any kind of violence would be unproductive.”

The officials seemed to have reached a decision.

“This is unusual. Highly unusual.” The high ambassador was so mortified he seemed close to tears. “We can’t have an unclaimed omega on palace grounds. It’s punishable by death. But… But I suppose we can accept that you are foreigners, and didn’t know any better. We’ll give you time to claim your omega in peace. But it must be done, or our arrangement is moot. We do not take kindly to being deceived.”

“We did not intend any deception,” said Ignis placatingly. “This is merely due to… cultural differences.”

Ravus scowled. “Do not waste time trying to explain. Let’s just do what they want and leave this place.”

***

On of the attendant led them through a series of covered bridge-like passageways, leading to a much smaller, isolated pavilion, and left them there. 

In one sense, Ignis wasn’t entirely surprised by their hosts’ requirements. Xuan was so voluntarily closed and isolated that their culture was almost entirely unknown outside of their borders, but these kinds of restrictions on omegas had once been common in many places. When confronted with the unescapable biological fact that alphas tended to be indiscriminately attracted to unattached omegas, many cultures and religions had placed taboos on unclaimed omegas to get rid of the problem entirely. Not so long ago, in Lucis, an omega would be claimed by an alpha as soon as they reached sexual maturity. For their own good, of course, that had always been the rationale behind it. 

These days, in Lucis as well as most other modern countries, those restrictions were long gone. Alphas were supposed to keep themselves in check and not act on their instincts, which, to be honest, was not as hard as it was made out to be. And claiming bites, these days, were getting rare. Some alpha/omega couples he knew did choose to display a claim bite, although that was usually a step people took when their relationship was getting very serious. Many couples, however, shared Ignis’ antipathy for the practice and merely used scent to mark each other as a mated couple.

Ravus was leaning on the wooden railing of the balcony, looking out at the snow-capped peaks. He didn’t seem to want to take the first step, which of course meant Ignis had to say something.

“Ravus… can you please tell me exactly what’s going on?”

“What is there to explain?” Ravus sighed and turned around. “My mother found out quite early I was an omega. It was inconvenient, so a solution was found.”

“That necklace… did it affect your growth as well? Is that why you’re so…” Ignis’ voice faltered when he saw Ravus’ grim expression.

“Actually, no. This is merely what I look like. Another reason why the deception turned to be convenient. I am not exactly attractive, as an omega.” Ravus crossed his arms, scowling. “And to be honest, I do not particularly care. Will you do this, or not?”

“Fine. If it’s the only way, but…”

“For the Astrals’ sake, Scientia, I am not asking you to marry me, just bite and be done with it.”

Ignis pushed his glasses up his nose with one finger. He could do this. There was really nothing complicated in it. And of course Ravus was right. It wouldn’t mean anything. They would get their safe passage through the mountain, and the bite would fade quickly. Quickly enough to spare them any further embarrassment, he hoped, because he felt quite sure Ravus wouldn’t enjoy walking around marked by an alpha for long.

Bites weren’t permanent, not unless you had the good fortune of being so genetically compatible that you were able to bond, but that was increasingly rare. Bonding had been a lot more common in antiquity, judging at least by the literature written on the subject, but it was highly uncommon these days. Experts disagreed on the exact reason why.

“Sit down, please. You’re too tall.”

Ravus sighed again, and sat down heavily on one of the brocade benches, leaning forward with this arms resting on his lap. Ignis sat next to him. With his good hand, Ravus pushed his long white hair out of the way, uncovering the nape of his neck. In a way, Ignis would have been less shocked if the general had suddenly stripped naked right in front of him. There was something unsettling about the sheer intimacy of the gesture, the vulnerability it so clearly broadcasted.

Looking at the strong lines of Ravus’ neck, his pristine white skin, it seemed impossible to even imagine doing something so barbaric as biting - and not only biting, but actually breaking the skin. Ignis leant forward tentatively, trying to will himself to do this.

And he was hit by the full effect of Ravus’ scent for the first time. All trace of alpha was gone from him now, even though his scent was still discrete, clinging close to his skin. From a distance, Ignis had been able to detect the characteristic sweetness of an omega scent, but not much else. 

From up close, however, Ravus smelled heavenly. He smelled of raw dark honey, of true vanilla, straight from the pod, more spice than sweetness, sharply masculine and at the same time very obviously omega. And the effect of that scent on him was instantaneous - sudden, almost dizzying arousal. Embarrassingly, he could feel himself grow hard in his admittedly tight Glaive uniform trousers. And he felt rising within himself a very primal, very primitive need to bite, something he’d only felt a handful of times and had always pushed away as a particularly distasteful manifestation of his alpha instincts. 

This time, he let himself go, let his need take over. He felt himself move closer, open mouthed, letting his teeth graze against the slightly protruding bones of Ravus’ spine, to the small triangle of flesh at the very top of the neck under which lay an omega’s marking glands. He lapped once at Ravus’ skin, tasting salt, the scent of Ravus engulfing him, and bit down, hard.

He heard Ravus exhale sharply as Ignis increased the pressure, letting his alpha fangs do the job they were here for, piercing the skin until he felt the metallic taste of blood on his tongue. He had to force himself to let go, to move away. His instincts were telling him to stay, to put his arms around Ravus, to lap at the wound until it stopped oozing blood. But he really didn’t think Ravus would allow this kind of intimacy.

Ravus seemed to collapse on himself, folding himself in two, burying his face in his arms. 

“Fuck…” Ignis heard him whisper under his breath. He didn’t think he’d ever heard Ravus swear before. He placed a hand carefully on Ravus’ shoulder.

“Are you alright?” he asked. Ravus was trembling slightly, he noticed.

“Yes. Just… give me a minute.” Ignis could hear Ravus labouring to breathe. At a complete loss, he rubbed Ravus’ shoulder in a vaguely soothing manner, hoping it would help, somehow.

This was completely new to Ignis. He has always considered himself as more familiar than most with omegas and their needs, since he’d been taking care of Noctis from a very young age. But of course Noctis had never been bitten. That would be quite unthinkable.

The trembling was subsiding. Ignis moved away. Ravus probably needed space. This was supposed to be one of the most intimate things an omega could experience, something they only shared with the person they thought were the love of their lives - in Lucis and Tenebrae, anyway. Of course, even there, there were stories of forced claims, usually followed by forced matings. Those were the worse kind of rape imaginable. An offence punished usually by a life sentence, in Lucis. Because being bitten made omegas extremely vulnerable to the person who had claimed them.

“How are you feeling?” he asked cautiously.

Ravus took a deep, shuddering breath. “Fine. This was… not what I expected.”

“I’m sorry,” said Ignis, feeling rather helpless.

“You do not have to be. This was the only way.”

Ravus visibly gathered himself and drew himself up slowly to his full height. “Right. That’s done, then. I should be acceptable to those heathens now. Let us just hope this is the last thing they ask of us.”

***

It wasn’t, of course. Ravus should have expected that. When had anything ever gone the way he wanted?

The head ambassador shook his head again. “I’m afraid I must insist.You must share a meal with us. Otherwise our alliance will not be acceptable.”

“Fine.” sighed Ignis. “We’ll do that, but then we’ll have to leave. There isn’t much time.” He sounded very much out of patience. Ravus couldn’t say he blamed him. 

“Your omega won’t be eating with us, of course.”

“Oh, what now? What new, infernal nonsense do you intend to pull?” growled Ravus between his teeth. 

“Silence your omega, Lucian, or I’ll do it myself.”

Ravus’ hand clenched around the hilt of his sword. “You do not tell _me_ to shut up, you goddamn savage.”

“Ravus, please!” Ignis put a hand on his arm placatingly. Ravus angrily shrugged it away, earning shocked gasps from the Xuans. “We can’t afford to waste time.”

“This whole charade is a waste of time. But fine. Go eat with them, or whatever they need to do. I’ll stay here.”

The head Xuan cleared his throat warningly. “Your omega will be going to the harem to be attended to by omegas, naturally.”

Ravus sighed impatiently.

“Would that be acceptable to you, Ravus?” said Ignis, his eyes not leaving the Xuans.

“Yes. Fine,” said Ravus, with an irritated flick of his hand. “Just get this over with quickly. If after all this we can’t get to the King in time…” The mere thought this whole mess, this utter nonsense, would have been for nothing then made him want to break something.

“I’ll do my best.” 

“Good.”

They took Ignis away, and Ravus was led into another corner of the palace, down another covered pathway, this one leading to a large pavillion, with tressilled windows. Whereas all the other buildings had been half-open to the elements, this was almost hermetically closed. The beta attendant who had brought him there unlocked the pavilion’s ornate wooden door. Behind it was a heavy red velvet curtain. 

“You must go through here, your highness”, said the attendant, not looking at him. “We can’t follow. Omegas only.”

Ravus pulled the curtain open brusquely and stepped through into an entirely different world. The rest of the palace had been somber and austere, all dark woods, geometric shapes and stiff ornate fabrics. Here everything was soft, round, decorative. Paintings of flowers and birds adorned every surface. Colourful curtains dropped prettily from the ceiling, separating the large room in many small enclosures. There were dozens of small elaborately carved pieces of furnishing, tables covered in jeweled knick-knacks, and mirrors, almost everywhere. A pink half-light illuminated the room, filtering through the heavy curtains. There was an almost oppressive smell of flowers, coming from the numerous tall ornate vases, and mixing with a rich, sweet, distinctly omega scent.

His eyes took some time to adapt to the darkness, after the stark light of the mountain sun. He heard a giggle behind one of the curtains, the soft padding of naked feet on the ground. One of the curtains closest to him twitched, a small bejewelled hand appearing and darting away from sight just as quickly. 

“Is it him?” said someone in a high, crystalline voice. “Look how tall he is!”

Slowly, one by one, the omegas emerged, like a flock of little birds, approaching him, shyly at first, but quickly gaining in confidence, crowding all over him, touching his clothes with a wondering expression. They were dressed in embroidered silk robes, their long black hair adorned with jewelled flowers. Most of them were females, not that the males were dressed any differently. Every single one of them was tiny, delicate, and stunningly pretty.

A little female that looked barely out of her teens grabbed his hands and pulled him towards a low sofa.“Come here, sweetheart, sit down with us,” she crooned. “We heard all about you. There’s so much we want to ask you!”

“Should we introduce ourselves?” said a slightly older one. “I’m Ugyen. This one is Peldem, this little one is Chime, and over there, you have Deki, Tashi, and Kiba.”

There was no way to remember those names, and no reason why it should matter, so Ravus just ignored her.

“And you? What is your name?”

“I am Ravus Nox Fleuret, prince of Tenebrae,” he answered curtly.

The room fell silent.

“That’s… a really long name,” said the smallest one. “I can’t say all that.”

“It’s too long,” agreed the older one who had introduced everyone. Ravus had already forgotten her name as well. “Do you have a shorter name we can use?”

“Ravus.”

The omegas repeated his name in a chorus of fluted voices. 

“That’s very pretty, dearest. You come from far away, don’t you? We don’t know much about these things. But… your customs certainly seem very strange to us.”

“Yes, how come your alpha hadn’t claimed you yet? “

“You can’t ask him that just like that, Tashi! The poor thing. He must be so upset.”

He tried his best to ignore them. But they wouldn’t give up.

“I didn’t mean to upset him. But to be unclaimed... Didn’t you mind? I know I would… it’s a terrible thing to be unclaimed.”

“Things are… different in my country,” he said between clenched teeth, finally, just to make them stop. “Omegas do not have to be claimed.”

“But don’t they want to be?” 

“It’s so lovely to be claimed.”

“Especially by an alpha like yours, he’s gorgeous.”

“We saw him through the screens. He’s so lovely. Tall and strong. And such pretty eyes! He looks very kind.”

Ravus buried his face in his hands.

“The poor dear, he’s tired.”

“Of course he is, running after his alpha all the time,” tutted one of the males. “Don’t they know omegas should stay safe at home, where you come from?”

For a second, Ravus thought of telling them what exactly he thought of that. That omega or not, he commanded armies. But was probably futile.

“But… had you truly _never_ been claimed before, though?”

They seemed utterly obsessed by the notion.

“Poor darling… it’s so sad…”

“Is it because you look the way you do?” said the smallest female omega unthinkingly, and clasped her hands on her mouth as though shocked by what she just said. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” She had turned red as a tomato.

Ravus glared at her.

“Don’t say that, Chime darling,” said the oldest omega. “You know none of us can help the way we look. It’s not his fault he’s so…” she faltered. “So tall. And broad. After all, his alpha must find him beautiful, or he wouldn’t have made him his omega, would he?”

Beautiful. It almost made him want to laugh.

“Well, I guess everyone had their own tastes, of course,” said one of the young male omegas, nodding his head sagely. “And he smells really good. That’s a good thing.”

The omegas agreed, exclaiming happily in a chorus of shrill little voices that grated on Ravus’ already frayed nerves. 

Smell. He hadn’t thought about that. Scents hadn’t been something he’d had to concern himself with. The necklace had blocked the most of the abilities of his omega nose, so he only got very vague, general impressions. He could tell someone’s secondary gender, and get a very crude image representing them. Ignis, for example, was a mixture of tall trees and coffee, somewhat earthy. Not unpleasant. But he was aware that for true alphas, and even more for omegas, smells were a whole other layer of communication. One he had, very irritatingly, no experience in at all.

The omega that had greeted him first was looking up at him with something very like pity in her eyes.

“What are you staring at?” he snarled.

“I’m sorry, I just wanted to say… I’m sorry for you your bond is so terribly one-sided. It must be very difficult.”

“What on earth do you mean?” he asked, startled. 

“I’m good at feeling bonds. It’s my gift. All omega have a gift, you know.” She patted him reassuringly on his good shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll find something you can do for your alpha no one else can. You’ll see.”

Ravus gritted his teeth.

“And no one can blame you for bonding before your alpha. It’s not unheard of for some of us to bond instantly when bitten. It’s a beautiful thing.”

The others nodded enthusiastically.

“And he’s a fine one, isn’t he, your mate? Very imposing.” The cursed woman just kept on wittering. “And being claimed for the very first time by such an alpha must have been… quite something. And even though a one-sided bond is a tough cross to bear, I’m sure he’ll feel it too, one day. You need to have faith.”

Utter rubbish. He had nothing against Scientia, in fact he rather respected the man, but a bond? Bonds developed between couples with time, and then again, only if they were compatible. They didn’t spring fully-formed between people who didn’t share anything apart from one, meaningless bite.

Although he had to say he had been quite surprised at the effect that bite had had on him. The sudden rush of warmth with him, the way his bones suddenly seemed to melt, his muscles slack and unresponsive. Involuntary reflexes, of course, he’d seen those described in the many medical books he’d read on the subject, but still… He hadn’t expected it to be so overwhelming. He rubbed absent-mindedly at his neck.

“Oh, does it hurt?” cooed the littlest omega. The others gathered around Ravus once more, petting him, stroking his arms, his back. Intending to comfort him, no doubt. 

“It’s a good hurt, though, isn’t it? It means you’re whole.”

Ravus scoffed. Hurt? Those stupid spoiled creatures had no idea what pain even was. He could still remember feeling the fire of the ring of the Lucii burning through his very bones. The bite barely registered. A mere sting.

“Don’t worry. Even if you do look a bit... unusual, I’m sure he will learn to like it.”

“But maybe it would be a good idea to try to… I don’t know, smile more? Make yourself more approachable?”

“I don’t recall asking for your advice,” snapped Ravus.

One of the females sighed rather dramatically. “You’re going to need a lot of help if you want to be liked by your alpha, honestly.”

“You can’t be scared of what you are. Especially when what you are is the most beautiful thing on earth. A precious omega. You have to bear it with pride.”

How much trouble would it actually cause if he were to run through the creatures with his sword? Some, certainly. Probably a lot. It would be fairly difficult to explain. And yet, it was tempting.

“You don’t want to be discarded, do you? You want him to keep you. It’s very painful, for us, to be discarded, especially when we’ve already bonded. You know, you have to work at it. Please him, take care of him. Do you want us to help? We could give you some advice.”

Ravus closed his eyes and prayed to the Six to send him patience. A way to endure this sentimental nonsense.

Or strike him dead on the spot.

At this point, either would do.

***

The sun was well past its zenith when Ignis and Ravus finally reached their camp. They made their way to Ravus’ command base through the neatly aligned tents, ignoring the confused looks the more sensitive soldiers were giving them.

Ignis was still mulling the parting words of the oldest Xuan official had said to him before he joined Ravus. Despite his age, he seemed to be very interested in discussing the difference in gender politics between their countries. But his outlook had been somber.

“Your omega… it might be best to get rid of him,” he had said. “He seems extremely disturbed. Violent, even. I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

“As I explained, your excellency,” countered Ignis, “Omegas are treated very differently in my country. Though of course, we have nothing but respect for your customs.”

“Well, the old ways seem better to me. Especially if the new ways create monsters like that. An omega like yours will create nothing but trouble. Despite all your fine words, alphas are alphas, and omegas are omegas. It’s as unnatural for an omega to command as it would be for an eagle to swim. You Lucians, with your omega king, and now an omega general… you’re headed for disaster.”

Ignis had dismissed it in his own mind as close minded bigotry, but he would be lying if said he wasn’t at all worried as Ravus walked back into the command tent that served as his headquarters. 

The reaction was immediate. The alpha officers, in particular, seemed unable to restrain their surprise. Ravus’ scent made his gender absolutely obvious. It had been building since the necklace that obscured his gender had been taken from him, more sharply since he’d been marked, and now it was unmistakable.

Ravus stood in front of the, glowering, exuding the authority of someone used to command from birth.

“Right.” The muscle in his jaw worked visibly. “Let me first address one thing. Your senses don't deceive you. I am an omega.”

The silence that followed was a tribute to the discipline Ravus maintained in the ranks of the Tenebraen army.

“I do not have time to listen to your concerns or to answer your questions. Up until now, I kept it hidden, but I _am_ an omega. It changes nothing. If you have a problem with that, you can walk out of this tent in the next thirty seconds. After that, anyone having any kind of trouble with my authority will be tried for insubordination. Am I making myself clear?”

Ravus waited, scowling at his staff. When no one said anything, he spoke again. “Good. Then perhaps we can start working.” He unfurled a map, pointed at a road. “We have been granted passage through this valley. We have very little time. When can we start moving?”

Ignis let his mind relax as the officers gave their replies. He was exhausted. It had been a harrowing day, and his skills weren’t required just now.

Ravus, on the other hand, seemed utterly unperturbed. It was unlikely that this was more than a facade, given the day he’d just have, but still, Ignis felt admirative. He didn’t know how he would have reacted, had the situations been reversed. And the way Ravus had dealt with his officers was truly impressive. Despite the fact omegas held equal rights in Tenebrae and Lucis, and had done do for decades now, prejudices and preconceptions were still common, and many people, mainly alphas, had problems with the idea of an omega in charge.

It had been a massive headache for everyone in the royal household when Noctis had presented as an omega. Some had even suggested to King Regis that it might be better to hide his son’s secondary gender for as long as possible. But Regis, quite bravely, had refused. His son was the crystal’s chosen one, the King of Kings, and an omega. People just had to accept it. 

Sylva Via Fleuret had, obviously, chosen a different path for Ravus. Ignis remembered that when Noctis had gone to stay in Tenebrae, Ravus had clearly presented as a young alpha, which meant whatever magic that necklace held was already in place. 

Ignis didn’t always like the baggage that came with being an alpha, but it was part of him in a fundamental way. He wondered how Ravus felt about being an omega, if he had ever wished he could live openly, like Noctis did. It was perhaps one more thing to add to the long list of reasons why Ravus disliked Noctis still, even though he was fighting to win him back his crown.

Ravus started giving his orders, in his usual clear, precise tone that left no place for argument. Everyone seemed to be listening attentively as usual, even the alphas, although Ignis had noticed many glances going repeatedly from him to Ravus. The fact he’d claimed Ravus was probably perceptible to the more sensitive members of Ravus’ staff. There was no point trying to hide it. The whole point of those bites were that they broadcast, quite clearly, who had staked a claim on a particular omega. 

More surprising was the fact Ravus’ usual commanding tone seemed to be having a subtly different effect, as though charged with something more than authority. It was his scent, Ignis realised, so unusual in this type of context, the pheromones he was giving out, that seemed to underline his orders with some strange, compelling element. Several of the alphas present seemed quite strongly affected by the mix. Not negatively. Not reacting as though confronted with a threat. But, quite clearly, with desire.

Suddenly, Ignis felt an irrational urge to touch Ravus, to reaffirm his claim. Which was totally illogical, given that this “claim” was nothing more than a sham. There was nothing real behind it. But clearly, some primordial primitive part of his alpha brain didn’t agree. 

It wanted him to snarl at those alphas for daring to even look at _his_ omega with desire. This part of him, a dark, instinctive part, was responding to this in a typically crude alpha fashion and presenting him with images, brief flashes of him grabbing Ravus, biting him again, rendering once more defenceless, boneless in his arms, and bending him over the table, holding him down, crushing his papers, his maps, and, in full view of those other alphas, of Ravus’ staff, of the officers he commanded, taking him, reducing him to a mewling, helpless mess.

This was exactly why he’d always hated being an alpha. It was only thanks to years of training he was able to ignore such thoughts. How other alphas could even think with all that noise inside their head was beyond him.

Ravus barked his last orders and officers exited the tent, to relay his instructions. As soon as they were alone, Ravus leant heavily on his desk and sighed, as though the weight of the day had just settled on to his shoulders.

“That could have gone worse, I feel.” he said.

“It went very well. Were you worried?”

“About how soldiers would react when they realised the alpha they were obeying turned out to be an omega? Yes, a little, to be honest.” He shrugged. “Soldiers, especially alphas, need to accept the authority of their commander unconditionally.”

“Well,” Ignis smiled, “I think they’ve accepted it. He felt it might be unpolitic to point out that many of the alphas had actually seemed quite aroused by that authority. He didn’t think Ravus would appreciate the idea. 

Ravus closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. “I feel quite tired, actually. I think I might retire early.”

He took one step, turned alarmingly pale, staggered and caught himself on the desk. Ignis hurried to his side.

“Are you quite alright?”

“No.” Ravus frowned. “Something is wrong.”

As Ignis got closer, noticed Ravus’ scent had changed. Underneath now familiar honey-vanilla, there was something else. Something richer, sweeter, that brought to Ignis’ mind images of baking.

So quickly? Then again, it was a common side effect of claiming bites, but he’d only heard about it between established couples.

“What are your symptoms?”

“Lightheaded. Feverish. Dizzy.” Ravus had a look of dread on his face.

“Any aching sensation in your lower abdomen?”

Ravus nodded. “It is a heat, isn’t it? How can this be?” he whispered. “I should have had more time than this. I should have had time to prepare.”

“It’s probably a side effect of the bite. I heard it can happen. I’m sorry.”

“Taking suppressants at this stage won’t help, will it?”

The demands of modern lifestyle and work meant many omegas took suppressants, if they didn’t have the option of spending half a week nesting and taking care of their physical needs. But the pills did have their disadvantages. They dulled an omega’s senses, rendering them almost nose-blind, and many omegas also said they had a dampening effect on their affect. Noctis hated them, and only took them when it was absolutely necessary to delay his heat to fulfill his duties. And of course, in order for the suppressants to work, they had to be taken before the hormonal rush that indicated the beginning of a heat. Later, they were useless.

“I’m afraid not.”

“Right. Then I do not have many options. I have to get away from here, now. Regroup later. Thankfully, everyone already has their orders.”

Despite all sociological advances, some things remained quite impossible on a biological level. An omega in heat in the middle of an army made out of mostly young alphas was an invitation for disaster. At best, it would be such a distraction that maintaining order would be impossible. At worse… some alphas - many alphas, actually - were incapable of resisting the call of an omega’s pheromones, which is why omegas usually spent their heats in seclusion, nesting alone or with their alpha. But of course such privacy would be quite impossible in the context of an army on the move.

Ravus was surveying his map. “On my own, I can move faster than the army can. If I take this route, I can probably reach the desert long before they do. Wait it out there, regroup then.”

Ignis shook his head. “Ravus, you won’t be able to. In an hour or so, you won’t be capable of driving. “

Ignis’ mind was filled with images of Noctis in the throes of those first hours of heat, almost paralysed by the pain, rendered incapable of speech, of thought, almost. That acute phase only lasted about eight hours, ten at the most, but it hit hard. And Ravus didn’t have that kind of time.

“Then what, pray, do you suggest?” said Ravus between clenched teeth.

“I’ll come with you. I’ll drive you there.”

Ravus’ brow furrowed in a deeply suspicious frown. “Certainly not.”

“I can help you through it. And no, before you say anything,” said Ignis, raising his hand in a calming gesture, “I don’t mean by mounting you. I know how to take care of an omega in heat. Without resorting to rutting. Need I remind you I’ve been taking care of Noctis all those years since he presented? Do you think his majesty would have let me stay close to him if I wasn’t able to control myself? I find it easier than most to resist hormonal urges. I don’t rut. I’d never bitten anyone before today. I’m not even particularly attracted to omegas in general. I’ve only ever slept with betas.”

“You are a broken alpha, in other words.”

It was a common term for atypical alphas. And it was not the first time he’d heard it applied to himself. It didn’t mean Ignis had to like it. “That’s sort of an offensive way to put it, but in a way, I suppose I am. I would have very much preferred to have presented as beta, to be honest.”

Ravus let out a harsh laugh. “So would I, believe me.” He paced the length of his tent, thinking. “You’ll need to gather your things fast. I’ll go talk to my aide-de-camp. It’s safe. She’s a beta.”

“I’ll go get her. Stay in here until we’re ready to go. You smell…” delicious was the word that came to his mind, but Ravus would probably not appreciate the epithet. “Like an omega going into heat.”

Ravus shook his head. “My scent has changed already? That is very fast. I have barely started to feel the symptoms.”

“It can be quick. Induced heats are especially brutal. Again, I’m sorry I had to claim you. I wish I could have found some other way.”

“Just go get Helena. I do not have time to waste,” huffed Ravus with a gesture of dismissal.

***

The aide-de-camp met Ignis at his car. She clearly had some doubts, judging by the way she was biting her lips with worry. “General Ravus has explained the plan. I’ll bring you his things immediately. Do you have enough supplies?”

“I think so. The quartermaster has been very efficient. Except… you don’t happen to have specialised equipment in the infirmary, do you? Tools omegas use during their heats?”

She shook her head. “Nothing like that. We don’t have omegas in our fighting forces. I’ve always made sure to have suppressants with me, in case something like that happened, but… No. I’d never imagined the possibility of him having to go through a heat, to be honest.”

“Too bad. That might have helped.”

The fact she looked acutely embarrassed merely showed she hadn’t spent a lot of time with omegas in heat. Ignis had become so used to Noctis’ needs that to him, providing the sex toys necessary to alleviate the worse of the physical effects was a purely comforting gesture. 

A comfort Ravus would have to do without.

The sun was starting to fall. They had to get going if they wanted to get most of the driving done before nighttime. Fighting demons with an incapacitated Ravus would be unnecessarily hazardous.

“I think the car is ready. Will you get the general, please?”

Helena nodded and left, coming back a few minutes later with Ravus. As Ravus reached for the car door, she stopped him and pulled him away for an aside.

“Your highness… I wish you would let me come with you. I could help.”

Ravus shook his head. “Certainly not. It is bad enough I have to leave. I am not diverting any other resource away from our mission because of this… inconvenience. I need to here to ensure everything is running smoothly.”

“But… your highness, he’s an alpha!” she hissed in a lower tone.

“I hardly think I need protecting from _him_ ,” scoffed Ravus. Ignis couldn’t help feeling ever so slightly offended at the tone. Especially since back in Altissia, he had been more than able to hold his own against Ravus. “I’ll be back in a few days. I’m counting on you, Helena.”

She saluted crisply. But Ignis couldn’t help notice she still had a rather worried expression on her face as held car door open for Ravus.

Ravus sat down, Ignis started the car, taking down the roof. Despite his unnatural capacities to resist his alpha urges, he would still prefer not to sit in a closed car with an omega in heat.

“How long do your heats normally last?” Ignis asked, reversing the car into the road and starting to drive away.

There was no answer. Ignis turned to Ravus. He was looking away, resting his chin on his hand.The general’s face was expressionless. But his blanched skin spoke volumes. 

“Ravus?” 

“I do not know,” came the slightly muffled answer.

“On average, I mean. A few days, or closer to a week?”

“I told you, I do not now. As a matter of fact, I have never had one.”

Ignis slammed involuntarily on the brake. “You… you’ve never had one?” he said incredulously, turning to Ravus.

“Why did you stop? No, I have never had one. I have lived as an alpha since I was twelve. It just seemed simpler. See? your expertise will come in even more useful than you thought.” His voice was ripe with irritation and sarcasm. It was tempting to chalk that up to emotional instability of an omega going into heat, but then again, this was how Ravus usually behaved. 

“I’ll do what I can. But… Ravus, this is going to be tough. You do understand what you’re about to go through, do you?”

“From a theoretical standpoint, yes, I believe I am reasonably well-informed.”

“Well, theory is one thing, but…”

“There is no point harping on about it. The situation is what it is. If you cannot deal with it, just drop me off when we reach the desert and get back to your precious king. I will be fine.”

“You won’t be. I remember Noctis’ first heats. This isn’t something you can deal with on your own. Now he’s used to them, he can manage, but…”

“Yes. I understand,” snapped Ravus. “Noctis is perfect in every way, he is the most impressive omega in the entire world, he is beautiful, he is the king of light, he is blessed by the Astrals and chosen by the crystal, and I am sure he deals with his heats in the most admirable fashion and all his little friends fall over each other trying to help him. And I’m quite certain he would never get himself in a mess such as this.”

“You’d be surprised, actually,” said Ignis soberly. “This is exactly the kind of trouble he regularly gets into.”

“I somehow doubt that.”

“You should try to sleep,” said Ignis, starting the car again. “You might find it difficult later on.”

“Just drive,” said Ravus wearily. But Ignis saw him lean back from the corner of his eyes, crossing his arms protectively against his chest, and close his eyes.

Ignis’ mind was racing. This was much worse than he’d anticipated. The idea of dealing with an omega in the throes of a sudden induced heat - induced by a bite Ignis himself had inflicted, and he felt irrational guilt about that - had already been daunting, but he’d fully expected Ravus to have developed his own set of coping mechanisms, as Noctis had. Well, not exactly the same kind of mechanisms, because Noctis mostly relied on Prompto and Gladio’s help, these days. Not that they seemed to mind.

But Noctis’ first heats had been hell. He’d been miserable, utterly helpless, desperate for relief, so much so he’d begged Ignis to take him and end his suffering. But that had been the one thing Ignis had not been ready to do for his prince. Noctis was family. Noctis was his brother. It was only thanks to a particularly cruel twist of fate, of genetics, that Ignis was an alpha, anyway. 

***

The telltale light of a shelter, rising like smoke, appeared on the horizon just as the sun was setting, and they left the car. Ravus walked beside Ignis in silence. The pain in his midsection was now so bad he was finding it difficult to breathe. But pain was no stranger. Pain was a force he’d tamed a long time ago, befriended, and learned to use. He could deal with the pain, easily. 

The weakness was much worse. A terrible sluggishness had invaded his very bones and made every movement a chore. His body seemed too heavy, too large to move. 

And he was colder than he’d ever been in his life. Colder than he’d been walking through the frozen peaks of Gralea. His blood seemed to have turned to ice.

A seductive voice deep inside him whispered of how wonderful, how blissful it would be to stop moving, to curl up in a small ball, to burrow himself under soft, nice smelling blankets, and to sleep, safe and warm, until that horrible feeling left him. He ignored it. It was merely his body wanting to nest, a typical omega response in the first phase of a heat. But he hadn’t read, in any of the books he’d consulted, of any actual physical harm coming to omegas who didn’t nest. The books spoke of psychological need, of discomfort.

Ravus could take discomfort, just as easily as he could take pain. His entire life as a military man had been nothing but discomfort, especially when he’d served the Empire. He gritted his teeth and concentrated on walking. It was taking all his energy just to keep up with Ignis, even though, he suspected, the younger man was deliberately walking at slower pace than usual.

He was so concerned with keeping up he forgot to be careful and he stepped awkwardly on a rock, losing his balance for a mere second. Ignis’ hand shot out immediately to steady him.

“Are you alright?” he asked solicitously. 

Ravus brushed his hand away angrily. “Leave me be,” he barked. Ignis recoiled as if struck and Ravus felt a touch of remorse. Scientia was only trying to help, after all. But the last thing he wanted right now was to be touched. His entire body seemed to rebel at the very idea.

Of course, according to everything he’d read about omegas, that was only the first phase. After that came the one omegas were notorious for, the overwhelming sexual need that usually culminated in mating with an alpha. And that was not going to happen. He would not let it happen.

And anyway, perhaps he would never get to that phase. He was very atypical, physically. Abnormal, some might say. He had never had much of an interest in sex, a side-effect of the necklace that had made him indistinguishable from an alpha. So maybe, he hoped against hope, maybe he would be spared that. 

But of course, he wouldn’t be.

***

The beginning of the evening hadn’t gone so badly. He had been able to assist Ignis, vaguely, with setting up their camp, although Ignis had probably accepted his help more out of pity than need.

Eating the food Ignis had prepared, however, that had been completely beyond him. Adding to everything else, his stomach seemed to be rebelling. He even had to force himself to drink enough water, and had struggled to keep it down.

Ignis, to his credit, had been exceedingly tactful about the whole thing, giving him space, acting his usual polite self, as though there was nothing out of the ordinary. But every time he thought Ravus was looking elsewhere, Ignis stole glances at him, a worried expression on his face.

And Ignis, naturally, had also insisted he could easily sleep outside, in order to let Ravus have the tent to himself. At first, Ravus had wanted to snap at him to stop coddling him, but now, lying under the thin fabric of the tent, he felt insanely grateful.

His skin was burning. He was sweating despite the cold of the evening. He’d divested himself of most of his clothes without even realising it.

He surveyed himself, his long, gangly limbs, his white skin, looking even more pale in contrast to the constellations of dark freckles across his body. He was hard, harder than he’d ever been, and all he wanted was to touch himself, run his fingers along his body, stroke himself, the way he would as a young teenager in Tenebrae, half a lifetime ago. 

Before the attack, before Regis abandoned them, before his mother died.

He had had this habit, in the dead of night, when he was sure he wouldn’t be interrupted, of taking off the necklace he always wore, and waiting for the rush of omega hormones within him, bringing with it a sudden sensitivity, feelings he didn’t even know the name of, had no idea how to explore. He would let his fingers roam, mapping his body shyly, always sure to put the necklace back on before going to sleep. Only once or twice had he dared slide his fingers inside himself, tentatively, feeling vaguely ashamed. A true alpha wouldn’t do that. A true alpha wouldn’t even want to do that.

This kind of thing became totally impossible after Tenebrae was attacked, of course. As a hostage in Gralea, he had had to be careful every single second. He hadn’t missed it. Wearing the necklace kept his sex drive near zero, and that was for the best, in that land of liars and traitors. 

And presenting as anything other than an alpha would have been unthinkable. The Empire, after all, had no place for omegas. He had been pretty sure the Chancellor had seen right through him, but he’d never said anything. And Ravus had made an art out of avoiding Ardyn and his knowing smirk.

But now, he wished he had a little more experience. Images of old partners he might be able to call upon, for instance. Because the only image his brain seemed capable of summoning as his hands roamed his body haphazardly was, predictably enough, that of Ignis Scientia.

Ignis, who had surprised him in Altissia by being a more than competent fighter, despite his youth, gifted with a brilliant tactical mind. Ignis and his long clever fingers, that he could so easily picture wrapped around his own length the way they wrapped around the hilt of his twin daggers. 

The way their fighting styles had fit together so perfectly, despite the fact they used very different weapons. Time after time, they had found themselves moving in perfect unison, on the same exact beat, and there had been something exhilarating about that.

Ignis at the end, burning with fury and loyalty, hair falling into his eyes, shirt half open, panting, stubbornly refusing to let him end it all by killing that wretched boy who was responsible for the death of all his hopes. Is that what he would look like, filled with lust instead of righteous anger?

And it was intolerable to think that very man was there, on the other side of the thin wall of the tent, so close, and yet so irredeemably far away. Ravus had already been forced to ask the man to bite him, when he’d clearly not wanted to, he wasn’t about to force the man to sleep with him as well.

He let his hands explore further down, touching his erection beneath the soaked fabric of his underwear. Even that thin material felt constraining. He hesitated a second, then removed it as well. That’s when he realised the wetness he had felt between his legs wasn’t sweat but slick, smooth under his fingers, coming from the most private part of himself. The natural lubricant a male omega produced to prepare himself for intercourse. That was new.

Fingers trembling slightly, he reached down, exploring. Just brushing against that part of him made him shiver. He needed more, needed to put his fingers inside himself, to relieve some of that unbearable tension within him.

But no. Like an itch that only became worse every time it was scratched, it would only worsen his symptoms if he gave in. Fingers would never be enough and then what options would he have left? Begging Ignis? He wouldn’t resort to that. If nothing else, he could at least attempt to salvage some of his pride.

He laid back, holding his human wrist tightly with his mechanical one. He would not allow himself that. It was pointless. Heats faded. He would survive. No matter how endless the night felt, it would end.

***

The night had been long. Ignis had set up his sleeping bag as far away from the tent as possible, but the heady scent of an omega in heat was not so easily avoided. Sight or sound could be easily blocked, but scent permeated everything, and besides it was so intoxicating he didn’t even think he could bring himself to defend himself against it. 

This was nothing like Noctis’ scent. He was used to that sweet smell of dark chocolate and sweet berries, so used he didn’t even react to it physically anymore. This was different, and it filled his mind with confused images of Ravus he desperately tried to ignore.

When the sun had come up at last, it felt like a blessing. At least, it meant he could move, do something, occupy his hands and his mind so that he would think of something besides Ravus. He fiddled with their camping equipment, tidying away what he could, preparing some coffee and a light breakfast he hoped Ravus would be able to eat. 

Ravus got up about half an hour later. His night hadn’t gone much better, judging by the dark shadows under his eyes and his pale, drawn face. He wasn’t wearing his white coat. Ignis didn’t think he’d ever seen him without it.

Because he definitely would have remembered. 

Under his coat, Ravus apparently wore a skintight black shirt, one sleeve torn off to let his artificial arm through, the other stopping high on his arm, above the swell of his biceps. And the way it clung to his waist left very little to the imagination. Ignis felt his eyes drawn inexorably to the sight, no matter how hard he tried to look away. Ravus was all lean muscle, coiled strength, angular yet surprisingly graceful.

He blinked, realising he was staring. Ravus was glowering, as though daring Ignis to ask a question. Ignis very studiously said nothing at all.

“I felt warm,” Ravus said between his teeth, finally. 

“Ah, yes, that’s…”

“If you say one more word about how this does or does not compare to Noctis’ heats, Scientia, I will strangle you. Be warned.”

Ignis turned back to the stove. “Coffee?” he offered instead.

“No, thank you.” Ravus crossed his arms. “We should get going.”

“We have time for a cup of coffee. You should sit down,” said Ignis, taking a sip from his mug. “You look about to keel over.”

“Stop treating me like a child.”

“I’ll tell you what,” retorted Ignis, feeling something snapping within him. “Why don’t you stop pretending you’re feeling fine when clearly you’re about to collapse, and I’ll stop referring to Noctis’ heats.”

The ghost of a smile appeared on Ravus’ lips. It was easy to forget the man had a sense of humour, albeit a slightly twisted one. “You have a deal,” he said. “And you might be right. I’m not feeling very well.”

“Any unusual symptoms?” 

Ravus shook his head. “No. Just a fever, I think.”

“Can I see?” Ignis moved closer, touching Ravus’ forehead with the back of his hand lightly, trying very hard to ignore the effect their proximity had on him. “Ah. You definitely are running a fever. Perhaps it would be wiser to stay here for the day?”

“I would rather move on. We do not have time to lose.”

Ignis sighed inwardly. What was it, with princes, that made them so impervious to reason? “Fine,” he said. “But please sit while I take down the camp, at least. I don’t think over-exerting yourself would improve matters.”

Ravus huffed in disdain but had the good grace to comply. Ignis knew he should feel thankful for small favours. If Ravus pushed himself too hard and collapsed, he wasn’t entirely sure he’d be able to move him. And Ignis didn’t trust Ravus not to overdo it, not for a single second.

Ravus insisted he didn’t need any help walking back to the car. He sat perfectly still in his seat while Ignis drove, his back straight, his face unreadable. He hadn’t said a word all morning. Only his slightly furrowed brow showed how badly he was suffering. That, and his scent was starting to sour slightly, a characteristic sign of physical distress in omegas. This heat was clearly hitting him extremely hard.

Ignis hadn’t thought he would ever miss the way Noctis had whined and complained during his first heats. At least, that way he’d been able to gain some understanding of what Noctis was going through. Although it was fair to say that the sheer amount of intimate physical details Noctis had shared had been more than a little unsettling to his sixteen year old self. 

But of course Ravus wouldn’t make it that easy. In fact, he hadn’t complained once, apart from mentioning he felt feverish. But there had to be other symptoms, of course, there always were. Ignis didn’t know whether the way Ravus was clearly trying to ignore them completely was admirable or simply foolish.

All he knew that that hint of distress in Ravus’ scent was driving him insane. It was possibly the only thing more difficult to ignore for an alpha than an omega’s mating signals. It made him want to stop and take Ravus in his arms, stroke his hair, make him safe, coo sweet nothings in his ear until he was comforted.

Yes, that would certainly go down well with the general. He could only imagine the face Ravus would make.

But the thought wouldn’t leave him, and so Ignis was distracted, and didn’t realise his car had been steadily leaking radiator fluid until the dashboard suddenly flashed red and his engine shut down completely.

***

The sudden stop jolted Ravus out of his tormented half-sleep.

“What now?” he growled.

Ignis was drumming his fingers against the wheel in frustration. 

“We appear to have broken down,” he said.

“Yes, I gathered that much.” Steam was rising from the hood of the car. “Is your car supposed to do that?” 

Ignis didn’t even bother to answer, just shot him a murderous look and got out to take a look. Ravus closed his eyes. He really didn’t need to be looking at the way Ignis looked with his sleeves rolled back, bent over to take a better look, his shirt plastered to his skin by perspiration.

This heat was going to be the death of him.

Ignis swore viciously and slammed the hood down.

“The radiator is fissured,” he said. “We’re going to need to find some water.”

“Lucky for us we happen to be in the middle of a desert, then.”

“Indeed,” said Ignis dryly. He climbed back into the car and opened a map. “There appears to be a small river roughly five miles from here. Do you think you can walk that far? I don’t think it would be safe for you to stay in the car. If needs be, there’s a shelter on the way. I’ll take the camping bag.”

“I can walk five miles,” said Ravus between his teeth. “Who do you think I am?”

***

It took him roughly five minutes in the afternoon sun to regret his words and curse his damnable pride.

This was the hardest trek he’d ever experienced in his life, harder than any forced march he’d endured during his military training. His body felt like a weight he was dragging painfully along the ground. Every step felt like the last one he’d ever be able to take, and yet he forced himself, again and again, to pick up his feet, to push forward, despite the pain in his legs, in his back, in his belly.

He could have cried with relief when they finally reached the shelter Ignis had said was reasonably close to the river. He didn’t even try to argue when Ignis told him to wait there, just sat down heavily in the meagre shade cast by the rock. Ignis said something about coming back soon. He didn’t care. He just concentrated on breathing, on getting his heart rate down to a manageable rhythm.

When he looked up, Ignis was gone. Ravus knew he should try to reach the top of the shelter. It was the safest place to wait, and in his condition, he’d be helpless if some creature decided to attack him. But his body refused to let him take another step, no matter how hard he tried. His skin felt like it was burning. He tried to remember how unbearably cold he’d felt not so long ago, in an attempt to distract himself from the sensation, but it was futile.

This had nothing to do with sexual desire. This was torture, pure and simple. His body was begging for relief, any kind of relief, a way to escape the unbearable pain that seemed to twist his very bones. For one moment, he felt a terrible temptation to pull out his sword and actually end his life. It felt easier than enduring this. 

How could something so stupid, so trivial as a heat put him in such a state? He leant back against the stone and closed his eyes. He just had to wait. Ignis would bring water, and water would help. Provided, of course, he could keep it down.

A sudden sound, footsteps on stone. His eyes flew open. Not Ignis. An alpha. A straggler, probably displaced by the increased military activity in the sector, dressed in filthy, ragged remnant of what might have once been a hunter’s uniform. He smelled repulsive. He wore a scruffy beard, had a wiry skinniness that indicated a certain fighting ability. Not that Ravus would normally have had the slightest doubt about being able to take him down. But he felt beyond exhausted. He couldn’t even think properly. He was trapped.

Nonetheless, he tried to draw himself to his full height, hiding as best he could the fact he was leaning of the rock wall for support. “Stay away from me,” he muttered between his teeth, placing his hand threateningly on the hilt of his sword. It was an empty gesture. He knew he wouldn’t even have the strength to unsheath it. His good arm felt like lead. The artificial one felt even worse, a heavy weight at his side he couldn’t even command anymore.

He clearly wasn’t fooling anyone. The filthy alpha chuckled to himself and moved closer. He was touching himself through his clothes, his hand working at his crotch, a salacious glint in his eye.

“Look at you. What a treat. An omega all alone… just for me.”

He came even closer, and the full strength of his smell hit Ravus. It felt wrong, foul, disgusting,and yet at the center there was something raw and attractive, a pure alpha smell.

“You’re pretty big, for an omega, aren’t you? More fun to be had.” 

The alpha was so close now, and there was no way to escape. Ravus’ body had completely abandoned him. His very mind was rebelling against his will, bringing unwanted images, indecently seductive. He could see himself burying his face into disgusting creature’s crotch, getting to that tantalising alpha scent behind his foul personal smell. Kneeling at his feet, buttocks in the air, spreading himself open, presenting himself, naked, obscene, open to view. And asking - no, begging for the filthy creature’s cock inside him.

He tried to push the images away, to counter them somehow. And what rose to his mind was flashes of Ignis - his smile, his hands, his scent. Something he could hold on to, to stop himself from acting on those terrible urges. 

There was nothing he was going to be able to do if that alpha wanted to assault him. He hadn’t felt that powerless in a long time, not since his mother’s death. And there he was once again paralysed, incapable of acting, at the one moment it actually mattered.

Darkness fell on his face as the filthy alpha filled his vision, obscuring the sky, a dirty leer on his face as he reached for Ravus, one leg pushing between his own, trying to gain access.

And then, sudden blinding light as the alpha was pulled off him.

“ _Mine_ ,” snarled Ignis, his alpha fangs seeming to glint in the sun.

He let go of the collar of the alpha’s vest, and shoved him away. With a flick of his wrists, Ignis summoned his daggers, just as the vagrant took one staggering step backwards. Ignis struck, fast as lightning, and using both daggers in a cross-like movement, decapitated him. His head rolled grotesquely down the slope. His body fell sideways, blood spurting from the stump of the neck in a long arc, staining the stone in a long crimson splatter.

“Mine”, Ignis hissed again, turning towards Ravus, pupils dilated, panting harshly. He pounced, throwing himself at Ravus, his daggers dematerialising mid-movement, grabbing Ravus none too gently and burying his face in Ravus’ neck, inhaling his scent.

Ravus didn’t even try to resist. He didn’t even want to resist. His only thought was of relief, incredible relief at seeing Ignis, a wave of joy at being finally close to _his_ alpha. The scent of Ignis, earthy, green, dark and complex, overpowered all senses. He put his arms around him, pulling him even closer. His pain seemed to fade, forgotten as he breathed in Ignis’ scent. He felt so good, so right, pressed against him, solid and warm.

“Please,” breathed Ignis into his neck, grinding his erection against Ravus’ own hardness, “Please…”

“Yes,” answered Ravus, his heart suddenly filling with a savage joy he’d never felt before. Ignis let out an inarticulate cry, an inchoate sound of victory. He tore his glasses away, letting them fall to the ground carelessly. He was so beautiful like that, thought Ravus, flushed, panting, his hair falling into his face. His eyes… he hadn’t noticed, before, how green they were. It made him think of the oaks of the forests of his childhood, of soft leaves and mossy boughs. 

And Ignis’ hands were on him, everywhere, tearing at his clothes. Ravus surrendered completely, letting Ingis strip him naked, letting him push him down to the ground, onto his hands and knees. And then Ignis’ hand was between his legs, touching him where no one had ever touched him before, where he was leaking, shamefully, helplessly.

His body greedily accepted the two fingers Ignis’ pressed into him without the slightest resistance. It felt completely different from doing it himself, foreign, intrusive, and at the same time it felt right, like this was something he had been missing forever.

“So wet…” he heard Ignis whisper wonderingly. It would probably have made him blush if he hadn’t already been long past embarrassment. Ignis pulled away from him, removing his fingers, and Ravus couldn’t help himself from making a small, needy groan in response. 

“I’m here,” said Ignis in response, his voice breathy, his hand reaching out to pat Ravus on the hip. He heard Ignis undress hastily, his usually impeccable clothes hitting the ground haphazardly. Despite his better judgment, Ravus turned to look at him and felt his heart skip a beat.

Ignis was stunning, all long lines and lean, well defined muscles. A dancer’s body, with strong broad shoulders and slender hips, his skin adorned with a few scars that served merely to emphasise the fairness of his skin. And jutting proudly from hair slightly darker than the one on his head, the upward curve of his cock, long and thicker than Ravus would have imagined, flushed red with blood.

Ignis placed both hands on Ravus’ hips, drawing him close and without a pause, pushed himself in in own powerful stroke and Ravus arched his back, unable to stop the sound coming out of his own throat at the sensation, a harsh ragged keening that seemed to come from deep within his very soul.

It was too much, too fast, and it should have hurt, but instead it felt glorious, it felt heavenly. Just that single initial thrust, the feeling of Ignis filling him, buried to the hilt, burning within him, felt better than any orgasm he’d ever had before, left him panting and trembling with a need, a pleasure he’d never felt before.

And then Ignis started moving, and all thought was obliterated. Ravus buried his head within his arms and let go completely, surrendering to ignis’ relentless assault, only dimly aware of his own moans, of the way he was arching his back wantonly tilting his pelvis in order to maximise the stimulation. Each thrust somehow seemed to reach deeper within him, each time adding more sparks to the fire pooling deep within him.

Ignis stilled suddenly, shuddering and Ravus growled in frustration at the sudden lack of stimulation. And then, he felt the pulsating heat of Ignis’ knot, expanding, filling him. It felt enormous against his sensitive inner walls, stretching him so much he felt like it was going to rip him in two, and at the same time, touching nerves in a way so pleasurable stars were actually dancing in front of his eyes. It was too much, it hurt too much, felt too good, was overstimulating and overwhelming and he instinctively, he pulled away, wanting to escape 

Ignis pulled him back sharply, an arm across his chest, pulling him back into his lap. “No,” he growled, actually physically growled, a rough sound Ravus had never imagined the elegant chamberlain capable of. “You stay.” That tone seemed to melt Ravus’ very bones, unfamiliar, needy heat rising within him.

The scent of Ignis, overpowering everything 

His heartbeat, fast and hard against Ravus’ back

The feel of his skin, clammy with sweat, warm, so solid behind him.

Ignis’ mouth found the mark he’d left of the nape of Ravus’ neck, licking at it, sucking hungrily. As he finally sunk his teeth in, eliciting the most beautiful pain Ravus had ever felt, he felt Ignis’s knot pulsate inside of him, filling him with load after load of semen. Then Ignis moved within him, adjusting his position slightly, and that pushed Ravus over the edge. He came, blindly, completely untouched, in waves that kept crashing over him as though they would never stop.

When he came to, Ignis was holding him to his chest, panting. “Don’t move.” he said. “The knot will subside soon.”

He rubbed the mark on Ravus’ neck with his fingers. 

“You’re bleeding. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” growled Ravus. “Leave it.”

Ignis slipped out of him as soon as he was physically able to. Ravus clenched his jaw as he felt copious amounts of come and slick slip out of him, staining his thighs.

They sat in silence, breathing hard, avoiding each other’s eyes, on the smooth stone of the shelter, warm from afternoon sun.

“Your water.” Ignis handed him the canteen, his face turned away. “You need it.”

It made Ravus want to laugh. His body still craved the water, yes, but the burning in him had subsided. It hadn’t been water he needed, but Ignis’ knot in him. 

Because he was an omega. And that was what omegas needed, after all.

He took a mouthful of water. It tasted wonderful, pure and cold.

Ignis spoke again. “I apologise,” he said, tersely. “I lost control.” 

His tone was courteous, almost distant. As though he was apologising for a social misstep and wasn’t half naked, dishevelled, covered in Ravus’ drying slick and both of their semens, sitting next to a rapidly cooling headless corpse 

“I do not recall exactly pushing you away,” shrugged Ravus. He looked down at himself. “I need to wash.”

“The river’s over there. Can you walk?” asked Ignis solicitously.

Ravus huffed in annoyance. “Of course.” He stood up in the warm sun. It didn’t seem to matter much that he was naked, now.

But he had gotten up too fast, much too fast, he realised. He had once again underestimated the physical effects of his heat and their mating. His head was spinning alarmingly and he felt himself lose balance, bracing himself for the fall, when suddenly felt Ignis’ hands on him.

“I’ve got you,” he said. “Let me help you. I could probably use a bath myself.”

Ignis slipped one arm around his waist, guiding him down steep slope of shelter’s rocks, carefully.

“Watch your feet, there are thorns around.”

Ravus want to snap in annoyance at Ignis unwanted sollicitude, but he bit his tongue. The younger man looked mortified enough as it was. Besides, it might have been humiliating, but he did need help. 

“Here we are.” Ignis still hadn’t crossed his gaze. He helped Ravus sit on the sandy beach-like bank. The sand felt rough but not unpleasant on his naked skin.

“Do you want me to help you? Or would you rather I left you alone?” asked Ignis.

“I will manage. But you can stay, if you need to wash.”

Ravus stood up carefully, wading in until water was waist-deep. It was freezing cold, despite the desert heat, and the contrast between the cold, and the warmth of sunlight was pleasant, soothing. He tilted his head back to feel the sun more fully on his face, running the fingers of his good hand through the matted mess of his hair. He felt better than he had in days.

He heard the sound of Ignis wading in behind him, close to him. It didn’t matter. It wasn’t as though Ravus had any dignity left to lose, any modesty to preserve. He just kept enjoying the sun.

Ignis’ hands were on his shoulders. Ignis was pulling him close, until their skin was in full contact, his back against Ignis’s chest, his buttocks against Ignis’s softened penis.

“You are magnificent,” he heard Ignis whisper into his ear. 

Ravus scoffed. “Your brain is addled, Scientia. That is the stupidest thing you have ever said.”

Soft lips were kissing the nape of his neck, the sensitive red welt left by the bite. 

“No. It’s true. I thought I might as well tell you, given what just happened. I find you beautiful.”

“Then there is something seriously the matter with you,” said Ravus, leaning back against Ignis’ chest. “I look almost exactly the opposite of what an omega should look like.”

“I don’t care. You are perfect.”

Ravus turned around, facing iInis.

“Look at me. I am taller than you. I am older. I am scarred and deformed.” He put his good hand on his hated magitec arm. “And I am hardly what you would call pretty. Nothing like your precious little prince.”

“No, perhaps, but you are very handsome.” And with those words, Ignis placed one hand on the nape of Ravus neck, fingers grazing the tender skin of his mark, and pulling him down, kissed him. Ravus let him. He felt at peace. The calls of the desert insects must mixed with the rushing of the water in a soothing, calming sound.

“Sorry.” Ignis smiled at him. “I needed to do that. I’ve never slept with someone I’d never even kissed, before.”

“You do not have to pretend this is more than what it is.”

“I’m not pretending. I wanted to do that.” Ignis picked up some water in his hands, letting it fall on Ravus’ chest, rubbing with the tip of his fingers to remove some of the mess that still clung to his skin.

Ravus looked down at Ignis. “For what it’s worth, I am sorry,” he said. “I realise this is as much an imposition on you as it is on me.”

“No. Of course it isn’t. I can’t begin to imagine what you’re going through. You’ve never had any time to adjust to your gender, to what your body requires of you.” Ignis was still cleaning his skin, gently, with soft circular motions that felt heavenly. “I have found myself forced to exhibit some alpha traits I usually despise. It hardly compares with the fact you have had to deal with being claimed, going into an induced first heat without the slightest bit of preparation, and now this. All to alpha you don’t even like.”

“Who ever said I did not like you?” said Ravus, genuinely surprised. “I do not like being an omega, true. I hate the idea of not being in control of my own body. But I have no quarrel with you. You are perfectly capable, strong, you fight well, and you have got a good tactical mind.

Ignis laughed bitterly. “That sounds like something you’d say to someone you’re working with, rather than a mate.”

“I apologise. I am not... a warm person. I do not know what sort of things people say in those situations. I truly have nothing against you.” He pulled Ignis close to him, and, with two fingers, tilted his head back. He kissed Ignis’ beautiful soft lips, that perfect Cupid’s bow, until he felt Ignis’ mouth soften against him, lips parting, giving him access.

“You will come back with me,” whispered Ravus, stroking the skin of Ignis’ cheek with his fingertips. “We will set up camp. And we are going to do this again, properly this time. Understood?”

***

Ignis was relieved to see, when they got back to the shelter, that some creature had dragged the corpse away. He hadn’t exactly relished the prospect of burying the wretched man. He supposed he should be feeling some sort of unease at the thought the man was now some monster’s dinner, but in truth, he didn’t care. 

Setting up camp would have to wait, though. Because he couldn’t wait to have Ravus again. Every wasted second was agony.

As soon as he’d unravelled a sleeping bag, to give him a slight modicum of comfort, Ignis pushed Ravus onto his back with a gentle yet firm hand. Ravus let him, clearly content to let him take the initiative.

Ignis bent down to kiss his long neck, his jutting collarbone. He needed to taste that snow-fair skin, so soft under his tongue. There it was, under the mineral taste of the river water. The perfume of pure vanilla, spicy and complex. How anyone could think vanilla was a simple flavour had never tasted the real thing.

He slid down, catching a nipple between his lips, and was immediately rewarded by a whimper, a slight bucking of Ravus’ hips under his. Ravus was sensitive there, then. Something to add to the growing list of interesting facts about Ravus he was filing in the back of his head. Ignis licked teasingly at the small pink nub until it turned beautifully hard under his tongue, took it between his teeth and squeezed, not too gently, eliciting a gasp from Ravus. Ravus’ hands tangled into his hair holding him close with a surprising tenderness. The artificial arm felt colder, foreign but not unpleasant against his scalp. 

He continued his exploration of Ravus’ body, down to the hard, toned plane of his belly, dipping his tongue into hollow of his navel, going back up the ragged line of the scar on his left side, dropping soft kisses along the edge.

Ignis pulled back to survey his work, ignoring for a few seconds more the insistent dig of Ravus erection against his hip. And to think Ravus himself unattractive. He smiled to himself. Ravus was beautiful like this, panting, flushed, eyes shut tight, spread out under him, tall, powerful, and utterly undone.

He was brought back to reality by Ravus’ annoyed huff. “Get on with it,” he growled.

“We have time,” said Ignis soothingly, but he took pity on him and settled back between his legs, taking one look one lick along the length of Ravus’ cock. There, Ravus smelled of musk, masculine and sensual, under the omnipresent scent of vanilla and honey. Ravus shuddered in response. Ignis took him in his mouth, surprised once more, despite everything, by the length and girth of him. This was, once again, not something that one would really expect from an omega male. It brought other possibilities to Ignis’ mind - he usually preferred to top, but he wasn’t opposed to switching, especially for a cock like this one.

But not tonight, because what he wanted now more than ever was to bury himself to the hilt inside Ravus, to fill him, to knot him, until neither of them could move. The thought was obsessive, so much so that despite the delicious way Ravus was writhing under him, despite the drops of precum that pearled out of the weeping slit of Ravus’ tip, he let that magnificent cock slip out of his mouth to move on, lower, ignoring Ravus’ half-formed plea.

He placed his hands on Ravus’ thighs, pushing them open and back, feasting his eyes on the sights. Ravus’ tightly drawn balls. The tight pucker of his hole, shiny with slick 

He looked up at Ravus’ face. The general was hiding his face with his good hand. Actually, he was blushing. It was curiously endearing. No, if he had to be honest, it was cute. Ignis smiled. Some things didn’t need to be asked, but it was quite clear that Ravus, older though he was, had far less experience in bed. But that didn’t matter.

He dipped his head, lapped at the puckered skin. Honey, sweeter than any he’d ever tasted, but at the same time dark and complex, vanilla, musk. The combination was somehow dizzying. It made Ignis crave more. He let his tongue explore the tiny folds of skin around the small opening, then pushed his tongue against the hard ring of muscle, feeling it relax slightly in response, granting him access to the source of this unbearable sweetness, so he could feed on it, feast on it.

He felt Ravus tense above him suddenly and gasp, shuddering, coming helplessly over his own chest. Ignis didn’t relent with his mouth, but stroked his hips soothingly, taking him through his orgasm, accompanying him.

He felt like he could have spent hours between Ravus’ thighs. But he had to pull back. An even more imperious need was building in him. He knelt back between Ravus’ legs and grabbed hold of his aching erection, guiding it with one hand towards Ravus’ hole, and pushed into the welcoming heat of his body

The first time had been so instinctive and raw that he hadn’t had much time to register the sensations, apart from his burning need to be inside Ravus, and blinding pleasure that precluded any thinking. This time was different, he wanted it to be different, to inscribe these feelings forever into his memories.

Because already, deep down, he knew this would soon be over. That they would soon have to part. 

Pushing that thought away, concentrating on the now, he thrust into Ravus, marvelling at how different it was from even the most willing receptive beta partner. How easy it was to bury himself inside that warm sheath, how tightly it held him. Ravus seemed made for him, a product, no doubt, of the unique physical synergy between alphas and omegas, but it felt like much more than that. It felt like something almost spiritual.

Ravus’ eyes were still closed and he was biting his lip as though trying to stop himself from making a sound. That wouldn’t do. 

“Look at me,” Ignis commanded, placing a hand on the smooth skin of Ravus’ cheek. “Look at me.” Mismatched eyes, grey and lavender, met his own. At that moment, they seemed to pierce him to his very soul.

He grabbed Ravus’ good hand, felt his first orgasm rise within him, entangling their fingers as he came. He felt the almost painfully constricting feeling of his knot expanding. Ravus writhed, still unused to the feeling, still fighting it, his eyelids fluttering in pain or panic.

“Shh,” whispered Ignis soothingly stroking Ravus’ cheek. “Don’t move. It’s fine. We’ll be fine.” Ravus nodded, once, in response, brought their entangled hands to his mouth, kissing Ignis’ fingers. It was one of the only gestures Ravus had made in their lovemaking that wasn’t purely sexual and for some reason it brought a lump to Ignis’ throat. 

Ignis bent down, carefully, although Ravus was clearly much more flexible than his usual bearing indicated. He captured his mouth, kissing him deeply, slipping his tongue between his lips. He wondered if Ravus could taste himself on Ignis’ lips. 

“Hold on to me,” whispered Ignis. Ravus gripped his shoulders, pressing him close, artificial fingers digging into his skin almost painfully. Slowly, Ignis started rocking his hips, his range limited by what the knot allowed. Small, careful movements, each eliciting almost painful small aftershocks of pleasure. 

Ravus was already hard under him, getting close again. Ignis slipped a hand between them, stroking him, until he felt Ravus’ cock pulsing between his fingers, his semen spilling between them, coating his fingers. He brought his hand up, licked them, tasting the delicious bitter sweetness, the rich, dark scent filling his mouth and nose.

Ravus, flushed and still panting from his orgasm, looked up at him with a surprised, almost shocked expression in his eyes. 

Definitely lacking in experience, his beautiful omega general. Some possessive alpha part of him was rejoicing at the thought.

“You taste good,” he said with a slightly wicked smile, by way of an explanation. Ravus narrowed his eyes suspiciously, as though he didn’t quite believe him. But Ignis didn’t give him time to doubt, moved within him again, and Ravus _yowled_ , a wild, savage sound that was music to Ignis’ ears, the sound of an omega being pushed over the brink into real pleasure, the kind only omegas could truly experience. Ignis smiled, a grateful, victorious smile, and let himself completely go, trusting his instincts, burying himself within Ravus, filling him again and again with his seed, and Ravus, underneath him, face slack with pleasure, called out his beautiful, primal omega call into echoing darkness of the desert sky.

***

They went back down to the river to bathe, shivering now in the cold moonlight. They dressed, and Ignis made food, which Ravus accepted gratefully. He seemed ravenous. 

They sat in silence, watching the stars.

“You could stay,” said Ravus, in an almost casual tone.

Almost, because Ignis could heat the hint of vulnerability in his voice. And it felt like an iron claw tearing into his heart. Because he knew what he had to say.

“My duty is to the king,” he heard himself say, as though detached from his body. He couldn’t afford to even consider the idea. Noct needed him. He had to go. There was no other choice.

“Of course. I am sorry I asked.”

Don’t be, he wanted to say. I wish I could stay. I wish I could take you with me. I wish we could stay here in the desert forever, just the two of us, and ignore the world forever.

He said nothing.

The sun was long gone. Stars shone brightly in the pure night of the desert. He could hear the small sounds of the nocturnal animals scurrying about, eager not to waste the first hours of the night. The slightly mournful chorus of nighttime insects, rising to greet the ascending moon.

“I believe my heat has broken,” said Ravus curtly. “I should be able to regroup with my men tomorrow.”

Ravus’ heat had been brutal, but short, probably because of the circumstances. His body had reacted erratically to the bite, perhaps because it was unused to omega hormones. Ignis thought about warning Ravus that future heats might last a lot longer. About telling him that he’d need to prepare, find ways to cope. Find an alpha to share them with.

But he couldn’t bring to say that.

“I’ll drive you,” he said instead.

“Fine. After that, I think it would be best if you left.” 

Ravus got up and disappeared into the tent, letting the curtain of its opening fall closed in a way that broached no discussion.

Ignis didn’t mind spending another night under the stars. They were beautiful, and it never got too cold, in this season.

He sighed, and laid out his sleeping bag on the flattest piece of rock he could find. He tried to settle down to sleep. It was already late.

He didn’t know why, but suddenly, he felt a loneliness he’d never felt before.

And the night smelled sweet as honey.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is dedicated to everyone in this fandom who writes such beautiful, crazy, sexy, fluffy, silly, devastatingly sad, unforgivably filthy and unfailingly inspiring stories.
> 
> And to the wonderful people who read them.
> 
>  
> 
> Kudos make the author jump up and down with glee in the most inappropriate situations. They are love. <3


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